Salaries of new Indonesian maids to rise to S$450
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SINGAPORE : The salaries of new Indonesian foreign domestic workers will soon rise.
17 major employment agencies in Singapore will increase the monthly salaries for the workers from S$380 to S$450. The increment will take effect by this week, they said.
Over the years, the supply of Indonesian maids in Singapore has been dwindling.
Employment agencies indicated that the shortage was due largely to demand from places such as Hong Kong and Taiwan.
The agencies recently met maid suppliers from Indonesia to try and resolve the issue. One solution is to provide better salaries.
Desmond Chin, group director, Nation Employment, said: "All the suppliers, they're facing difficult conditions to recruit. They are requesting us to match the maid's salary to HK$650, to match the salary to T$800, which is right now impossible.
"Maybe, we can do it step by step. So right now, we have agreed with the Indonesian supplier for the salary of S$450."
Many employment agencies in Singapore support the move.
The higher salary will not benefit the agencies or the suppliers, as there will be no change in the foreign placement fee.
Employment agencies said the change can help remove unhealthy practices among the agencies.
Tay Khoon Beng, director, Best Home Employment Agency, said: "If we don't have enough supply to applicants in the first place, eventually more and more agencies will poach one another's maids and offer 10 and 20 dollars increase in salary and transfer these helpers among Singaporean employers and this is even a worse scenario for us."
Employment agencies said it is up to employers to increase the salary of existing maids. They are also wary of the possibility of a small group of maids who may try to terminate their contracts so that they can be re-employed with the better salary.
Some employers feel any salary increase has to be gradual.
Samuel Teo, an employer of an Indonesian maid, said: "The other thing is that I also feel that, of course, when you pay more, you're expecting a very high quality from the maid. Will the maid be able to deliver?"
More than 70 per cent of maids working in Singapore are Indonesians and employment agencies said demand for these maids is still strong.
With the proposed salary increase for Indonesian maids, employment agencies also hope to increase the retention rate, giving them the incentive to work longer in Singapore.
- CNA/al -
More pay means more work and more abuse.I feel sad for these unfortunatre slaves and the SIngaporean 'I wanna to be a Japanese bully' mentality.To offset this from happening they should reduce the Levy.
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I think the reporter really screwed up with the reporting.
If it's Hong Kong Dollars or Taiwan Dollars, then Singapore is definitely the place for maids. As SG$1 = HK$6.
I think the reporter and the editor are both idiots.
Salaries of new Indonesian maids to rise to S$450
By Saifulbahri Ismail | Posted: 18 January 2011 1915 hrsDesmond Chin, group director, Nation Employment, said: "All the suppliers, they're facing difficult conditions to recruit. They are requesting us to match the maid's salary to HK$650, to match the salary to T$800, which is right now impossible.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1105453/1/.html
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This also calls to question Singapore's income levels.
Why is it that Hong Kong and Taiwan can afford to pay S$650 and S$800 for their maids?
I thought Singapore has higher GDP per Capita as compared to Hong Kong or Taiwan.
Singapore's housing bubble is not sustainable, as it's a demand pull and supply shock brought about by a massive liberal immigration policy.
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The salary of maids are going up but salary of Singaporeans (especially low wage workers) are going down. Haha Singapore is a funny place.
Salary is driven by supply of demand. Singapore labour market is flooded with supply from foreign workers so of course salary will drop.
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Conspiracy at play .. ?
Firstly, they closed backdoor employment of maids.
Now, they raise the price of indonesian maid to SGD450.
Bear in mind, Indonesia's government is asking Malaysia to up the helper's salary to RM600 ... which is less than SGD300. Why are they comparing to Hong Kong and Taiwan but not Malaysia?
Next, in Hong Kong, most of the maids have to settle their own accommodation as the employer has no room or space to put in one more person.
Looks to me more like a strategic move or collaboration by the agents.